Research Initiative Highlights

This Notice encourages PCORI awardees and their patient and stakeholder partners with strategic plans for disseminating and implementing the research results of their PCORI comparative, clinical effectiveness research (CER) awards to consider applying for this forthcoming funding announcement.

PCORI seeks to support the dissemination and implementation (D&I) of patient-centered CER results obtained from PCORI-funded studies.  This opportunity will give PCORI investigators the chance, following the generation of results from their PCORI research award, to propose the next step(s) for making their research results more useful, actionable, and accessible to targeted end-users. This announcement is designed to promote and facilitate the effective and timely use of research evidence in the real world.

Through this PFA, PCORI seeks to fund projects designed to actively disseminate and implement PCORI research results using approaches that are informed and guided by established dissemination and implementation models and frameworks. Successful applications will propose a logical and feasible next step for D&I of clinically meaningful CER finding(s) in order to improve CER finding accessibility, usefulness, uptake, and/or impact among targeted end-users, along with an evaluation plan focusing on an appropriate balance of measurable process and short-, intermediate-, and longer-term outcomes to capture timely information on the effectiveness of the proposed D&I activities.

Specific strategies proposed for disseminating and implementing results of PCORI-funded research projects will vary based on a host of factors, including the finding being disseminated, the population(s) being targeted, and the goals of the D&I effort. PCORI encourages applicants to work closely with relevant stakeholder groups to identify appropriate D&I strategies. All proposed D&I strategies must actively disseminate/implement findings to targeted end-users and evaluate the success of the D&I strategy. Applications proposing to translate or adapt a finding or product without a plan to actively disseminate or implement it will not be considered responsive.

Examples of appropriate projects include, among others, efforts to:

• Develop, demonstrate, and evaluate approaches for incorporating results of PCORI-funded research into decision-making settings for patients, providers, policy makers, and other stakeholders.
• Adapt the content, format, or vehicle for delivering CER research evidence to improve its penetration and use at the policy, health systems, clinical practice, caregiver, and patient levels.
• Demonstrate the capacity and ability to take research results found effective through PCORI research studies “to scale” in diverse settings and populations.
• De-implement or reduce the use of interventions that are not evidence based, have been widely adopted prematurely, or are harmful or wasteful.

PCORI conducts rigorous merit review of all responsive applications received. Please note that the merit review criteria for this announcement are different from those PCORI uses when reviewing research applications.

Background

PCORI’s mission is to improve the quality and relevance of evidence available to help patients, caregivers, clinicians, employers, insurers, and policy makers make informed health decisions. We do this by funding and conducting highly relevant research that is likely to change practice and improve patient outcomes, and by disseminating and promoting the implementation of the results of this research in practice.

This Notice of a PCORI Funding Announcement is provided to allow potential applicants additional time to identify collaborators, obtain stakeholder input on dissemination plans, and develop responsive, high-quality proposals.